Monday Fulham Stuff (20/08/12)...

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Dartford sign Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli on loan



Newly-promoted Blue Square Bet Premier side Dartford have signed Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.

The 20-year-old joins from the Premier League team on a one-month loan deal.

Both Mark Schwarzer and David Stockdale have praised the goalkeeper,  who is a graduate of the Cottagers' academy, for his shot-stopping ability.

His career has been beset by injuries, but he was able to make his debut in Dartford's 2-0 defeat against Macclesfield Town.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19317770?

[WhiteJC]

 
The perfect weekend to be a Fulham fan

Opening day results at QPR and Fulham could not have been at a sharper contrast.

Fulham fans looking at the Premier League table online this morning might want to take a screen grab and press print because it is one they will want to look back on and savour.

Not only did they destroy Norwich City 5-0 at Craven Cottage, but rivals QPR were humbled by the same 5-0 scoreline at home to Swansea.


The same QPR who have been spending freely this summer and harbour ambitions of not only a top 10 finish, but finishing above Fulham.

The same QPR who are managed by former Fulham boss Mark Hughes and boast their former strike force of Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora, so seeing their rivals humiliated at home made the weekend twice as good for fans of Martin Jol's side.

But it was more the positives on display in Fulham's own demolition of a weak Norwich side which will have cheered supporters.

Bryan Ruiz was excellent, looking like the player fans thought they were getting when the club signed him, Mladen Petric continued his excellent pre-season form with a brace and set up another, and looks a superb signing.

Youngster Alex Kacaniklic scored his first ever Premier League goal, and the defence and goalkeeper kept a clean sheet. It really was an afternoon in the sunshine to remember at for those at Craven Cottage.

Moussa Dembele pulled the strings in midfield, and Danny Murphy was barely missed. The only footnote of discontent on the day belongs with Clint Dempsey, who had declared himself unavailable as he attempts to make a move away from the club.

Even this was turned to a positive by Fulham's excellent display. Dempsey watching on may have given his stance another thought, and if he doesn't get the move he wants, then he will at least know that the club is in great shape if he is welcomed back into the fold.

And then if Fulham to consider, add Dempsey into the current mix, and who knows what they can achieve this season? Even without him, there should be very few limits to their ambition.



http://hereisthecity.com/2012/08/20/the-perfect-weekend-to-be-a-fulham-fan/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Perfect debut for Fulham's Mladen Petric

Mladen Petric was the toast of Fulham after a two-goal salvo on his Premier League debut.

"I am very happy," said Mladen. "Not only because of my performance, but because we had an amazing start which will be very important for us throughout the rest of the season.

"All of us played a very good game; we defended very well – I think thye had just one or two chances to score – and we scored five goals which means that we played very well today. I'm happy that we didn't concede and I'm especially happy for Alex Kacaniklic that he scored his first goal today.

"I'm happy I was able to provide the assist but most important were the three points and that we played a good game altogether as a team. It wasn't just one or two of us who played well."

Petric was also happy with the welcome he received from the home fans.

"The fans were great today," he said. "It was a good feeling to have them on my side this time unlike last time when I was here! I'm looking forward to playing at the Cottage again."

• No Norwich City players were made available for interviews after the game.



http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city-fc/perfect_debut_for_fulham_s_mladen_petric_1_1487669?

[WhiteJC]

 
Another Fulham nightmare for Norwich City

Norwich City fans probably don't care much for trips to Craven Cottage.

Relegation there in 2005 of course marked the start of a downward trend that nearly finished the club.

Of course, the depth of emotion felt on Saturday wasn't in that league...but to have that bubble of pre-season optimism that every fan feels unceremoniously burst was difficult to bear.

City fans have been spoilt over the last three seasons and they have grown used to not seeing the Canaries capitulate like this.

There wasn't the merest hint of a comeback like last season when Aaron Wilbraham netted in a 2-1 defeat at the Cottage.

Many people suspect that after last season's 12-placed finish that the only way is down for the Canaries – it's what prompted Paul Lambert to jump ship to Aston Villa.

Saturday's display did not allay those fears unfortunately.

Hughton's plan to outnumber Fulham in midfield relied heavily upon City having a decent amount of possession.

This would then give surprise inclusion Andrew Surman the chance to spring forward in support of Grant Holt and ensure the City skipper had enough support.

However, starved of the ball thanks to the talents of the likes of Moussa Dembele and Bryan Ruiz, the City pair only combined effectively once in the first period and when this didn't bear fruit the writing was on the wall.

The warning signs were there for City in the 10th minute when the lively Alex Kacaniklic skipped past Russell Martin down the left flank before standing up an inviting cross to the back post. Fortunately for City, his opposite winger Damien Duff had not gambled on the cross and Marc Tierney was able to head clear.

With Holt ploughing a lone furrow up front there wasn't enough pressure on the Fulham back line, who were more than capable of bringing the ball out of defence looking for a runner to spring City's offside trap.

Brede Hangeland's long ball over the top in the 12th minute caught Michael Turner ball watching but fortunately Duff's first touch allowed the summer signing from Sunderland to recover and snuff out the danger.

City weren't so lucky midway through the half though when John Arne Riise, who had previously brought a good save out of John Ruddy, pinged a long diagonal pass that picked out Duff once again. Tierney appealed for offside in vain with Ryan Bennett playing the Ireland international on and he showed composure in poking the ball past Ruddy.

It was one-way traffic for the rest of the half as City retreated desperately hoping to reach the sanctuary of half-time just one goal behind.

It was a forlorn hope.

Hughton, a manager who prides himself on having a solid defensive base from which to build, will be fuming at how easily Mladen Petric lost his marker to glance home Duff's in-swinging corner. Jonny Howson did his best to clear off the line but replays showed the referee's assistant had made the right call in signalling the ball was over.

Just as perhaps Lambert would have done last season, Hughton decided to shuffle his pack at the break. He had to. City were never going to carve out the chances necessary to overhaul a two-goal deficit judging by their first half display. Surman was substituted in place of Steve Morison to try and provide Holt with some kind of support. The former Millwall man was charged with holding the ball up to allow City's midfield to get forward. However, the quality in the supply line wasn't there once again.

How City's strikers must have looked on enviously at the likes of Moussa Dembele, Kacaniklic and Riise providing Fulham with the kind of attacking thrust the visitors could only dream of.

Petric, a free transfer from Hamburg during the summer, grabbed his second of the afternoon early in the second half to effectively end the match as a contest.

Picking the ball up 25 yards from goal, he was allowed to turn and strike a shot which took a big deflection off Turner to wrongfoot Ruddy and make it 3-0.

This was damage limitation now...but City couldn't limit it.

The goal of the afternoon was provided when Dembele sauntered with the ball on the edge of the box before feeding Petric, whose deft flick released Kacaniklic through on goal.

The young winger got the goal his industry down the left flank deserved by sliding the ball past Ruddy and it was now starting to get embarrassing for the Canaries.

Bradley Johnson's long range effort almost caught out Mark Schwarzer but the Australian managed to scramble the ball away with his legs and this was as threatening City got in the second half.

Fulham showed what kind of strength in depth they have when Hugo Rodallega, another free signing from Wigan in the summer, came on to win a penalty when he was brought down by Turner from behind.

Referee Michael Oliver must have been taking pity on Norwich at this point as, despite denying a goalscoring opportunity, Turner wasn't even cautioned.

It was perhaps punishment enough to see Steve Sidwell ram home the penalty past Ruddy.

Thankfully, the sequel to The Nightmare at Craven Cottage was over.

City fans will just be hoping they at least have the chance to make it a trilogy in the Premier League next season.



http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/sport/another_fulham_nightmare_for_norwich_city_1_1487691?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Focus - Five-goal masterclass proves to be a welcome distraction

Our Fulham season preview focused on the question of Clint Dempsey's future. The piece stressed how Fulham's season looked promising if the Texan stayed. However, Martin Jol's revelation before their opener vs Norwich that Dempsey would never play for the club again threatened to cast a shadow over both Fulham's matchday performance and overall campaign.

The glorious, cloudless weather in West London proved to be a fitting enivorment for a Fulham mastterclass, the Cottagers produced the sort of exhilarating, goal-laden football Craven Cottage has become accustomed to under Jol. Both manager and fans will have been pleased to see stellar performances from new arrival Mladen Petric, record signing Bryan Ruiz, want-away Moussa Dembele and exciting young prospect Alex Kacaniklic as the Cottage was treated to a 5-0 victory.

With the now inevitable departure of Dempsey potentially leaving Fulham short of goals, scoring five so comfortably with the knowledge that it could and should have been more will ease some of fears amongst the fans at least, as well as the strikers such as Petric, who has endured a tremendous amount of pressure on his shoulders as of late.

Critics have pointed to Petric's age as a factor against him but in the sweltering heat, the Croatian looked brighter and sharper than many of his younger counterparts. His two goals, the first well taken, the eye-catching second after a deflection, will get the headlines but his overall play as he both led the line and dropped deep will have pleased his manager to no-end.

In sum, Saturday's game was a performance that almost shamed Dempsey. His behaviour in recent weeks as he has essentially tried to bully the club that brought him over from the MLS led to chants of "Are you watching Clint Dempsey?" from the Craven Cottage faithful.

Compare Dempsey's with that of Moussa Dembele, another who has seemingly caught the eye of the bigger clubs. There was certainly no hint of sulking as Dembele orchestrated the play quite magnificently from central midfield alongside the hulking, solid presence of Mahamadou Diarra.

Indeed, aided by the silky skills of Ruiz and the marauding experience of John Arne Riise on the opposite flank, Fulham appear well placed to survive and even progress without Dempsey's presence. Youthful promise was evident in the displays of Kacaniklic and Pajtim Kasami, while exciting winger Kerim Frei was not even on the bench. There was further evidence of Fulham's strength in depth as Petric's replacement, fellow summer signing Hugo Rodallega, produced an eye-catching cameo, winning the penalty for Steve Sidwell to smash in for the fifth and final goal.

Admittedly, Norwich were extremely poor and it is a stretch to say that Fulham have no need for Dempsey, but Martin Jol has quietly put together a quite formidable and progressive squad that bodes well for the season ahead.



http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_16285_fulham-focus-five-goal-masterclass-proves-to-be-a-welcome-distraction.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Quick post: stat attack

Can I have our ball back? Fulham's midfield were pretty stingey with the ball. Damien Duff completed 94% of his 18 passes, Diarra 94% of his 90 (Murphy-equque), Dembele 96% of his 73, and Kacaniklic 96% of his 27. Ruiz, the link man, was at 91% of his 54.

The right stuff: Ruiz made 3 key passes, as did Riise. Duff made two.

Whoosh! Diarra played 10 long balls and found his man with, er, all of them.

Reading: Aaron Hughes made 11 clearances

Harrassment: Norwich had 9 shots, but only 2 were on target. That happens when you don't get time and space.

http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/614053/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2012-2013-Fulham-Norwich



http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/quick-post-stat-attack/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey: "The Truth" of His Transfer from Fulham Needs to Come Out Soon

Clint Dempsey has been radio silent since August 17, when he tweeted there are two sides to every story and cryptically warned, "the truth will come out soon."

Not soon enough, it seems.

The EPL calendar did not start the way Dempsey had envisioned after his remarkable season with Fulham last year. The best American field player fully expected to be suiting up somewhere other than Craven Cottage to start his league campaign, yet despite a swirling cabal of rumors throughout the summer, Fulham has yet to deal Dempsey anywhere.

As the first week of the EPL season draws to a close and the end of the transfer window looms just over a week-and-a-half away, Dempsey is a superstar in limbo; no longer wanted by the team that made him a star and not worth enough on the open market for that team to justify dealing him away.

There is a growing sentiment that this is Dempsey's fault; that he is handling his impending transfer with a lack of class and respect for Fulham.

It's hard to know what else he could do, honestly. Dempsey made it clear at the end of last season that he loved his time at Fulham but he felt the next logical step in his career was to play in the Champions League.

Dempsey hasn't wavered from that one bit in the offseason, except for the rumors he was going to Liverpool, a club with a rich history but one that finished eighth in the league, just one spot above Fulham last season.

An entire summer came and went while rumors swirled about a move from west London, most vociferously calling for an imminent deal to Liverpool during preseason training in late July.

Nothing happened.

Fulham manager, Martin Jol, has publicly stated this week that Liverpool has yet to even offer a price for Dempsey despite declaring interest in the striker. The situation could not be any messier, really.

Days before Fulham's first match, things between Dempsey and his boss got incredibly nasty in the press, with the club going on full attack, blaming him for a lack of commitment to the club and accusing him of spreading the rumors he was headed to Liverpool.

Fulham then went out in its first match and netted five goals against Norwich City, a clear statement from the Cottagers that Dempsey will not be needed to fill up the score sheet this season. (Note: the guy scored 23 goals last season, so his presence surely wouldn't hurt.)

Through all this, Dempsey has stayed silent. Despite international media chiding him for not telling his side of the story—for not letting his "truth" come out—Dempsey has kept quiet about everything, seemingly prepared to let the chips fall where they may.

Is Dempsey calling Fulham's bluff by sitting out? Is the club being unrealistic for how much they expect to get in return for a player nearly 30 years old? Will Fulham really think about not shipping Dempsey somewhere else to get at least something in return?

If it doesn't sell him, Fulham will get nothing for Dempsey at the end of the season when his contract expires. Can any club survive with something this big hanging over the entire season?



Possible new teams

Wherever he is, Dempsey had to look at the score sheet from week one of the EPL season and smile a Texas-sized smile. Not only did Fulham score five—see, they don't need him anymore—but Arsenal and Liverpool were both shut out.

Oh, right, Arsenal is a club that has qualified for the Champions League and suddenly has a bushel full of cash after selling Alex Song to Barcelona and Robin van Persie to Manchester United.

Even with the Gunners reportedly stealing Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin from Liverpool on a one-year loan deal, Dempsey would be a perfect fit in Arsene Wenger's attack. Plus, the addition of Dempsey won't cost nearly as much as what Arsenal got back for either player sold this week.

Getting shut out at home can only serve to make fans nervous in the wake of Van Persie's departure. Dempsey would not only be a reactive move to quell fan unrest, it would be a prudent financial and tactical signing as well.

Tottenham—the club booted from Champions League play after Chelsea won last year's tournament to qualify automatically for this season's quest—lost to Newcastle after scoring just one goal, despite ample chances in attack.

With creative midfielder Luka Modric in ostensibly the same situation as Dempsey, Tottenham are a bit shackled until that situation plays out. Still, with American Brad Friedel in net, Tottenham could become the de facto team for Americans to root for should Dempsey join them.

From a tactical standpoint, Dempsey surely would help. From a financial standpoint, he would open up a nearly untapped market for the club.

Chelsea wouldn't be a terrible fit for Dempsey from a style standpoint, but their attacking midfield is very crowded. Manchester United is suddenly the worst fit in the world for the American and the final English club in Champions League is the EPL Champion, Manchester City, which may have become a wild card in this entire process.

City netted three goals against lowly (yet sprightly) Southampton, but all-world striker Sergio Aguero went down with a knee injury that could have him sidelined for the next few weeks, if not longer. Immediately the thought of Dempsey in a sky blue kit fluttered across the internet, TV and, surely the phone lines of Dempsey's agent.



The Everton option

Regardless of where he ends up, it is clear Dempsey cannot be with Fulham much longer.

The truth is, the American hasn't handled this situation perfectly, but there also hasn't been much more he could do than be honest and upfront about his desire to leave, which he was.

Limiting his options to Champions League clubs wasn't terribly fair to Fulham, but he certainly didn't mind when American-owned Liverpool showed interest, so maybe he has backed off that edict in an effort to get into a better situation somewhere, anywhere, else.

If Dempsey just wants out of Fulham and no longer cares if a new club is tied to Champions League this season—seeing potential in future years as enticement enough to go—he should look at Everton as a logical landing spot.

The Toffees finished seventh in the EPL last season after a horrendous start. They employ Tim Howard in goal—the best American player—and rumors have already begun that Landon Donovan will be back in blue in January.

The addition of Dempsey would surely galvanize Everton as the leading American club abroad. Let's not forget the Toffees let Tim Cahill leave for the New York Red Bulls of MLS and sold Jack Rodwell to Manchester City, leaving both space on the field and, perhaps, enough money in the bank to afford Dempsey.

Of course there is always the prospect Dempsey leaves England, with PSG or another Champions League club with loose purse strings willing to make a deal.

The bad thing for Dempsey Jol, and perhaps most importantly the Fulham fans, is that this situation flooded into the season. The good thing for all involved is that something has to happen very soon. Unless it doesn't happen at all, which means we can go through this whole thing again in January.

The truth is, that would be terrible for everyone.



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1303815-clint-dempsey-the-truth-of-his-transfer-from-fulham-needs-to-come-out-soon?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol - No offer from Reds

Fulham boss Martin Jol says Liverpool have not made an official offer for Clint Dempsey, who is keen on the transfer.
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is keen to land the American, who scored 23 times last season, but despite making an enquiry about his services over a month ago, no official offer has been made by the Reds according to Jol.

The Cottagers hit Dempsey in the pocket after he refused to play in his team's Premier League opener at Norwich on Saturday, as he continues to hold out for a move to Liverpool.

Fulham managed well enough without him at the weekend as they ran out 5-0 winners against the Canaries, but Jol is convinced changes are needed to the current transfer system after witnessing too many disputes between clubs and players.

Jol said: "We should stop the window when the first game is played then all this nonsense would stop.

"If you look at the window now with two weeks to go, it's awful because there are a lot of clubs waiting around until they get the money in (from sales) and if they have got the money then they will come in and of course then you have players with clauses as well, so I think we should do something about it.

"It's a bit frustrating. I had the same thing happen to me in Germany (with Hamburg). Vincent Kompany left and then (Rafael) van der Vaart left in the same week."


http://www.eatsleepsport.com/Liverpool/Jol---No-offer-from-Reds--1457582.html?#.UDJIy0K_wds

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Fulham keen to bring Brescia midfielder to Craven Cottage

Fulham boss Martin Jol looks set to make Brescia midfielder Omar El Kaddouri his fourth signing of the summer, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

Jol, who has already added Sascha Riether, Hugo Rodallega and Mladen Petric to his ranks in recent months, has identified El Kaddouri, 21, as the man to bolster his attacking options.

The 21-year-old, who was part of Morocco's squad at the recent Olympic Games, is regarded as one of the best young players in Italy after a series of promising displays for Brescia.

Napoli and Parma are also tracking the Moroccan, but Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Fulham are ready to splash out £2.5m to bring him to Craven Cottage.

And El Kaddouri's arrival could facilitate the departure of American Clint Dempsey, who is desperate to leave Craven Cottage.


Read more at http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/120820/fulham-keen-bring-brescia-midfielder-craven-cottage-179069?#HyeXYfwwbyjVYbsm.99

[WhiteJC]

 
English Premier League: Why Arsenal Should Bring Clint Dempsey to the Emirates

Earlier this month, hopes among the Gunner faithful were at a high. Despite the speculation, Robin van Persie was still an Arsenal player and Alex Song had not yet claimed a spot on Barcelona's sidelines. In a matter of days, however, optimism gave way to all-too-familiar disappointment when van Persie went to the dark side, Manchester United, and Song fled to Catalonia.

To top it off, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud impressively underwhelmed in Saturday's draw with Sunderland.

One of the most frightening aspects of Saturday's game had to be the ineffectiveness of the substitutions. Without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the team was condemned to second-half cameos by the infuriatingly inconsistent duo of Aaron Ramsey and Andrey Arshavin. One can assume that Giroud will improve in front of goal as the season progresses, but his dependence on his aerial ability to score is a bit troubling—the team already struggles mightily to send in accurate high crosses.

So what now?

The return of Oxlade-Chamberlain (hopefully) next weekend and Jack Wilshere (hopefully) in a couple of months will solidify the team's midfield and wing options. Nuri Sahin, if he joins the team on loan, will offer further playmaking prowess in the center mid position. The team has plenty of cover in midfield and on the wings—even if Wilshere struggles to return to health or form. Arsene Wenger reportedly has his eye on a few young defensive midfield options.

The team's main needs are another proven goal-scorer and fullback—the latter of which will possibly not be addressed, yet again.

Arsenal needs another player to complement Podolski and Giroud as goal scoring threats, and I believe it should be Clint Dempsey.

Dempsey enjoyed one of the most successful campaigns for any midfielder in the Premier League last season. While he established himself as one of Fulham's steadiest players throughout the 2010-2011 season, his superior play last season suggested that his game is still developing. While interest from other team has been limited to speculation from Liverpool, he has maintained a desire to play Champions League football.

The argument that Dempsey is not a Champions League level talent holds very little weight—if any. Similar cases could have been made about Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen before they joined Arsenal and established themselves as the club's best center backs. The American scored 36 goals for Fulham over the past two seasons, against some of the world's elite club teams (Juventus, Chelsea). In addition, he scored as a United States international against top international teams such as Spain, Brazil, and England.

Dempsey's versatility serves as his greatest asset.

On a club level, he has succeeded immensely as a free-roaming attacking midfielder; however, for the United States, he has also played as a winger, center forward, and a 4-4-2 striker. While he would likely never project as a starting center forward for Wenger, he could play anywhere in the middle or attacking thirds for the team.

Dempsey's skill set would benefit the Gunners immensely. His scoring prowess rests largely on his composure, propensity to take risks and ability to capitalize on opportunities. A majority of Dempsey's goals last season came through broken plays inside the box, headers, runs in transition and direct free kicks.

While Arsenal struggles to complete crosses, especially with the absence of Bacary Sagna, Dempsey would provide the team with another physical, aerial presence beside Giroud. In addition, Dempsey would offer another legitimate option beside Cazorla and Podolski to fill the free-taking void left in the early post-van Persie era.

At the very least, Clint Dempsey would provide insurance against the team's usual rash of injuries and other mild catastrophes. I believe that if Arsenal did decide to take a modest £8 million leap of faith and acquire the 29-year old American, he would collaborate well with the club's other playmakers and occasionally provide instances of brilliance to complement the team's wealth of finesse and pace.

The beauty of Dempsey's play is that it doesn't necessitate good rhythm in team play. He's not going to regularly break down defenses with his passing or dribbling ability. Instead, his emergence as a Premier League star over the past couple seasons has been due to his ability to make things happen and, more importantly, navigate the ball into the back of the net.

While this is a move that will never happen, Dempsey would realize his dream to compete in the prestigious Champions League. Arsenal would get a goal-scorer who excels in the game's big moments (2007 goal vs. Liverpool to help Fulham avoid relegation, 2010 Europa League goal vs. Juventus - link above), would provide depth and would lessen the burden on the Gunners' three summer signings.



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1303668-why-arsenal-should-bring-clint-dempsey-to-the-emirates?

[WhiteJC]

 
Picking the Premier League Team of the Opening Weekend

Sunderland, Chelsea, Stoke City, West Brom, Fulham, Swansea City, Manchester City and Arsenal players feature in our Premier League team of the week.

The Premier League Team of the Week: 18/08/12 - 19/08/12

Gk - Simon Mignolet (Sunderland) No goalkeepers really shone on the opening weekend but Mignolet was solid at the back for Sunderland and that's why I've gone with the Belgian. On hand to stop Arsenal's shots from distance and closed down Giroud well to force the strikers shot wide. Composed and confident, Sunderland have a talent on their hands.


Unlucky to miss out: Petr Cech (Chelsea)

Rb - Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea) Ivanovic's selection is not purely based on his goal, which in itself was a fantastic burst of energy to break so quickly, but also on his defensive strength. Proved to be a rock at the back and is arguably Chelsea's best defender currently.

Unlucky to miss out: Liam Ridgewell (WBA)

Cb - Robert Huth (Stoke) Stoke fans will have been disappointed to see their team concede a fairly late equaliser Huth 's performance will have given them optimism. The German defender proved reliable in keeping Pavel Pogrebnyak at bay and could do nothing to prevent the penalty that Reading scored from.

Unlucky to miss out: James Collins (West Ham)

Cb - John O'Shea (Sunderland) A draw away against Arsenal in the opening game of the season would most certainly have been taken before kick off and O'Shea played a key role in keeping Arsenal's attacks limited largely to efforts from range. His presence and experience shone through throughout.

Unlucky to miss out: Alex Pearce (Reading)

Lb - John Arne Riise (Fulham) Riise has largely struggled to replicate his Liverpool form with the Cottagers but the opening fixture saw a rejuvenation in the Norwegian. Attacking with gusto when Fulham broke forward Riise was a real live wire and kept things tight defensively.

Unlucky to miss out: Kieran Richardson (Sunderland)

Dm - Youssouf Mulumbu (WBA) Facing the talented midfield three of Allen, Gerrard and Lucas, West Brom fans may have been fearful that the Liverpool midfield could prove too much of a handful. Not with Mulumbu prowling. The Baggies midfield dominated Liverpool and much of this came down to Mulumbu who's tackling and harrying constantly pressured the visiting side.

Unlucky to miss out: Mohamed Diame (West Ham)

Cm - Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) Already the summer signing from Malaga looks like a shrewd piece of business based on the opening game. Looked dangerous throughout the game and not afraid to take a shot. His through ball to fellow new boy Giroud was perfection and he was unlucky to not gain an assist for his efforts.

Unlucky to miss out: Craig Gardner (Sunderland)

Am - Michu (Swansea) The spaniard's transfer has largely fallen under the radar this summer but his performance in Swansea's 5-0 demolition over QPR will certainly raise his profile. Two well taken goals and a constant creative goal threat to the opposition. Gylfi who?

Unlucky to miss out: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Rw - Nathan Dyer (Swansea) Last season Dyer was often left in the shadow of teammate Scott Sinclair, but with Sinclair left out of the starting lineup, Dyer took his chance to showcase his abilities. His two goals helped Swansea romp home and his tricky wing play impressed when he received the ball out wide.

Unlucky to miss out: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle)

Lw - Samir Nasri (Manchester City) One of the few Man City stars to turn up yesterday. Much criticism has been thrown at Nasri since his switch from Arsenal but no complaints could be made against Southampton as his high work rate and ability to squeeze out of tight spots showed the Frenchman in his finest light. His goal was just rewards for a strong performance.

Unlucky to miss out: Gervinho (Arsenal)

St - Mladen Petric (Fulham) Replacing Pogrebnyak, Dempsey and Zamora was always going to be a tough task but Petric looked at home on his debut. Two goals to his tally, similarly to Pogrebnyak's debut last season, indicate that Fulham fans should not worry about a lack of goals this year.

Unlucky to miss out: Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)

There are plenty unlucky to be left out following a fantastic start of the season, but they will no doubt appear further down the line. Who would feature in your team of the weekend?



http://hereisthecity.com/2012/08/20/picking-the-premier-league-team-of-the-opening-weekend/?